A simple and inexpensive tonometry system for use with microlitre blood samples.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Physiology
• Comparative Physiology

Background:

• Accurate blood pressure measurement is crucial for physiological monitoring.
• Existing tonometering systems may have limitations in diverse environmental conditions or sample types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the construction of a novel blood tonometering system.
• To evaluate the performance of this system using human and Antarctic fish blood.

Main Methods:

• Development of a tonometering system based on the vibrating action of a firebell.
• Performance assessment using human blood at 37°C.
• Performance assessment using Antarctic fish blood (Pagothenia borchgrevinki) at -1.5°C.

Main Results:

• Successful construction of a functional blood tonometering system.
• Demonstrated performance across a wide temperature range, from human physiological temperature to sub-zero Antarctic conditions.
• Validated the system's utility for different blood types, including that of Pagothenia borchgrevinki.

Conclusions:

• The firebell-based tonometering system is a viable method for blood pressure measurement.
• The system exhibits adaptability for use in diverse physiological and environmental settings.
• This technology offers potential for research in comparative physiology and extreme environments.